


The Picture

by Ocimi



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Before John, after the game, albert mason - Freeform, not canon, spoiler - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:07:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22976638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ocimi/pseuds/Ocimi
Summary: Dutch was not a man who was shocked into silence often, he could count the number of times on one hand, but... he discovers something that truly takes his breathe away and stirs up emotions he doesn't know how to deal with.
Relationships: Arthur Morgan & Dutch van der Linde
Comments: 5
Kudos: 72





	The Picture

Dutch Van Der Linde was not a man who was shocked into silence often. He could count the number of times on one hand, two stood out to him the most. The first, was when Arthur Morgan, his son, friend, and second hand was laying on a cliff wheezing and close to death after Micah was discovered to be a rat. The second was just now, as he was passing through a city months after Beaver Hollow happened.

"The Friendly Outlaw" He read aloud, staring into the photo as though it would erase the unease he felt. The lush green field of the Heartlands overflow, birds in the background, water sparkling on a sunny day. A Silver Dapple Missouri Fox Trotter tenderly cared for, pristine and clean. The rider of average weight, clean, in his usual jacket, healthy, truly Arthur. Dutch's breathe puffed out him and emotions churned in his chest. The first emotion was hurt and betrayal then incredible crushing guilt followed by anger. 

"Enjoying the work? You've been staring for a long while." A man with a scruffy beard and plaid vest asked, eyebrows raised. "That man saved my life, multiple times in fact! I haven't seen him in a long while." Albert Mason, Dutch realized. 

"He's gone." Dutch said, turning back to the photo. His heart rate increased, seeing Arthur concentrated, focused, healthy, alive sent his heart careening in his chest, guilt winning out over the other feelings. Arthur was leaning forward, clasping the reins a shotgun strapped to his back and his horse, Eliana, chest. There was a faint scar on his cheek, and Dutch wondered what from and how he never noticed. 

"Did you know him?" Albert seemed almost surprised and a tad sad. 

"Did, thought I did. I... I made a mistake once, years ago." Dutch said, hidden emotion that Albert couldn't decipher.

"Well, from what I knew of Mr.Morgan he would want us to carry on and live." Albert wouldn't know, couldn't know, that sentence would make something inside Dutch snap. Albert turned to Dutch and made a decision, pulling a copy of the photo and holding it out to Dutch. Dutch stared at the hands, without reacting before slowly his hand reached out to take the photo.

"You can have this, obviously you knew him pretty well. It'd be my honor." Dutch stared, thanked him and turned away emotion tugging at his chest. In the safety of a hotel room with a beer bottle in his hand Dutch allowed himself to feel.

"My boy... I should have listened to you. I...I'm sorry." He croaked, fighting tears as he stared down at the photo in his hand. The imagine distorted and became a wheezing, sick, bloody, dying Arthur, desperately calling for Dutch.

"I gave you all I had... I did..." Dutch broke, tears dripped onto the photo. How did he not notice, how could he be such a fool. Rage slowly crept in and Dutch blinked blearily at the photo. 

"He's a rat, you know and I know it..." Arthur wheezed, blood clouding his eyes, sick, dying. Dutch was no longer in the hotel, he was standing above Arthur, staring down at him, angry confusion on his face.

"He's sick... He's dying, he's talking crazy!" Micah, clutching his wounded arm. Shouts, Arthur rolling onto his back, John made it, Micah pleading and Dutch walking away, thoughts blank.

Micah.

Dutch realized now, he wanted to end Micah, watch him die just as his son did. Revenge, he always said, was a luxury they couldn't afford. But now, Dutch had nothing to lose.

**Author's Note:**

> So I just finished Albert Mason 3 (for the 100th time really) and this idea popped into my head and I had to explore it.


End file.
